Duties

Summary

This position is located in Voice of America's Africa Division, Horn of Africa Service. The incumbent serves as the Managing Editor for the Amharic Service.
Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Plans and directs, in collaboration with the Chief, the development of radio and Internet programming and program packages in the Amharic language by analyzing political, cultural and economic trends in order to meet U.S. objectives and present a cohesive, listenable or watchable broadcast to the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
• Selects and approves program material for radio and the Internet for appropriateness of content, balance and targeted area interest.
• Develops radio program line-up to ensure a balanced broadcast.
• Arranges for staff members to cover events.
• Edits completed radio scripts and material for service website to ensure accuracy of tone, balance and policy conformance.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
13

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by closing date of the announcement to be considered.
• Applicants must complete online questionnaire.
• If you are a male applicant, born after 12/31/59, you are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act. The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
• This is a national security position. If selected, this position requires the completion of the SF-86.
• Suitability Determination: If selected, you will be subject to a security investigation to establish your suitability for federal employment. The security investigation will include, among other aspects, a review of your credit and legal history.
• This position is not covered by a Union Agreement
• This vacancy is advertised under Delegated Examining (DE) procedures and is open to all U.S. citizens. Non-US citizen applicants MUST apply to NC-11040928-21-LM.
• Candidate may be required to work nights, weekends and holidays.
• Your application to this DE vacancy announcement will only allow consideration for this announcement. We cannot electronically or manually move your application to the corresponding NC announcement.

Qualifications

For the GS-13 grade level: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12), which is directly related to this line of work AND fluency in the English and Amharic languages.

Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled.

Applicants' experience must show the following:

Thorough knowledge of writing/editing principles and practices;

Demonstrated ability to target radio programs to the audience;

Demonstrated ability to conceive, develop and apply fresh new approaches to programs;

Demonstrated ability to adapt and re-create programming to present material in an effective and balanced manner; and

Demonstrated editorial skills to direct the development and production of complex radio programs for content, style and tone.

Education

Applicant cannot substitute education for experience.

Additional information

If you are an eligible Inter agency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicant, you may apply for special selection over other candidates for this position. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated at 85 or above on the rating criteria for this position. ICTAP eligibles must submit one of the following as proof of eligibility for the special selection priority: a separation notice; a "Notice of Personnel Action" (SF-50) documenting separation; an agency certification that you cannot be placed after injury compensation has been terminated; an OPM notification that your disability annuity has been terminated; OR a Military Department or National Guard Bureau notification that you are retired under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456.

Applicants claiming veteran's preference must submit a DD-214 (copy # 2 or 4 - member copy); veterans who are claiming disabled veteran preference must also submit a VA disability letter and a SF-15; AND, applicants seeking widow or other special veterans preference must submit a SF-15 and all documents indicated for their specific form of preference.

If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once your resume or application is submitted, a review of your qualifications will be made to ensure you meet the job requirements and competencies required for this position.

Competencies:

• Journalism
• Language Profiency-TA
• Multimedia
• Production
• Target Area

Possession of competencies may be addressed in a cover letter and/or resume. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your qualifications. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. You will then be placed in one of three rating categories:

• Qualified Category
• Well Qualified Category
• Best Qualified Category

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category Rating does not add veterans' preference points, but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more will be placed at the top of the highest quality category (except in the case of scientific or professional positions at the GS-09 level or higher). Preference eligibles who do not have a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more will be assigned to the appropriate quality category based upon the job-related assessment and will be listed ahead of nonpreference eligibles within the appropriate quality category.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

All applicants are required to submit the following supporting document type(s):

• Resume

Applicants may also submit the following supporting document type(s), which may not be required for all applicants:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• SF-15

Although the required documents listed in this announcement only indicates that a resume is required, other documents may be required in specific circumstances, as indicated in application requirements in Other Information above.

If you are a veteran with preference eligibility and you are claiming 5-point veterans' preference, you must attach the member copy of your DD-214 or other proof of eligibility. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference, you must also attach an Application of 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF-15) plus the proof required by that form. If you are still on active duty, you may submit a statement of service from your Personnel Command which states the date you entered active duty, the date you are separating, and the campaign medals you have received.